A goodbye letter
by stevieLUVSAlex
Summary: The last episode Nina writes a letter to Andy and leaves it on his door, before she leaves for LA with that unspeakable man. ONE SHOT
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: The final episode of Everwood, Nina writes a letter to Andy that he never got to read because we got our happy ending and didn't need to know what it said… well, this is what I THINK it might have said. =)**_

To my best friend,

Writing this letter is by far THE hardest thing I've ever had to do. I know how cliché that sounds and I'm laughing as I write this but I just don't know how else to start a goodbye.

When you first came to Everwood, you were just this broken man who lost his wife and moved his children to a small town so that you could heal them, and maybe even yourself. You did so much more, Andy Brown, you healed everyone around you, every life you touched you made better. And that broken heart you had, began to heal. You are a good man. A good person. A good friend.

Saying goodbye to you is like ripping my heart into tiny pieces. I don't know if I'm strong enough to do it, let alone face to face. So I apologize that you don't get a real goodbye, that this letter is all that I can give you for everything you've given me. It seems small and by no way compares. I'm a coward but I don't know how to do this any other way. I always thought I was a strong woman but really all that strength came from you. Every time you switched on the kettle and poured me a coffee and listened to me cry or whine or scream or talk or yell at you. Your strength rubbed off on me. I know you'll have the strength to move on after I'm gone. I just hope that I took some of yours with me to L.A. because I don't think I can get by without it. Without some part of you.

I do wonder if I'm making the wrong choice. You asked me if this is what I wanted and I purposely didn't answer you. I couldn't. I didn't want to tell you that the very idea of moving away from Everwood left a gaping hole in my chest. A sort of panic I can't describe. I don't know if many people live in one place their entire lives. I always thought I would stay in Everwood. It was my home. My family was there. My friends. You.

But when I thought about leaving Everwood, it wasn't so bad. I knew I could be happy somewhere else. It would never be Everwood and I could never expect to feel that sense of belonging. A sense of home. But somehow I'd make a life for myself and for Sam, somewhere else and I would be happy there. But when I thought about you, Andy, when the realization hit me that I wouldn't be seeing you every day, that my neighbour wouldn't be you. I didn't want to leave. The kind of pain that enveloped me was something catastrophic. I just learnt to hide it.

I'll miss Everwood. I'll miss the people. I'll miss the restaurant. I'll miss the home in which I raised my son. But missing you, Andy, is something entirely differently.

I do love you more than I could ever tell. I will _always_ love you. You were more than my best friend, you were the man who brought me out of a dark place and you healed my heart when I thought I no longer had one to be healed. You gave me my life back. You gave me something I've never had before. Someone I could depend on. Someone who would look after me when everything got too hard. I will forever be grateful to you.

Wherever your life takes you from here, Andy, make it a good one. Be happy. You deserve to be happy.

Nina Feeney

Best Friend Forever

Xoxox

_**A/N: OMG! I can't believe how hard this was to write. HOLY HANNAH. I am so so so so glad that they got a happy ending. I am. I couldn't imagine loving this show with this much intensity if it had ended any other way. =)**_

_**PLEASE leave a review!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: I have to apologize to everyone who wants seconds to my one shots, but I don't have the time or the patience between my own novels and my social life and the busy schedule I'll be thrown in for the next two months. But this FF deserved a second part because it never had its happy ending and if you know me happy endings matter. =)**_

Years of being a surgeon had earned Andy Brown a lot of connections to every place in the U.S.

So when he wanted to find Nina Feeney in L.A, it didn't take that much effort to track her down. After the letter she'd left on his door step he couldn't just leave it like it was. He had to do something. He had to fight for her one last time and hope that this time, he actually won. Maybe he hadn't pushed her hard enough. Maybe he should have asked her to stay. Whatever stupid reason it was that Andy let her go, he had changed his mind.

He was going after her.

"Where are you going?" Delia asked for the umpteenth time, as Andy packed her school lunch.

"It doesn't matter."

"Why is it such a secret?"

Andy ruffled Delia's hair. "Because it's not for little ears."

Delia rolled her eyes. "You're so dumb."

"I am to please. I'll only be gone for two days."

Ephraim had promised to stay at the house and take Delia to school. He was excited for his dad and he wanted it to work out for both of them. He had always Nina and so had Delia, but if they told her and it didn't work out she would be crushed.

When he finally turned up on Nina's doorstep he was glad that it was the middle of the day. There was a good chance Jake was at work and Sam was at school. Nervously, he knocked on the door and waited patiently.

The door opened and there she was. As beautiful as she ever dressed in a white sundress. He didn't realize how much he missed her until he saw her standing there. A grin spread across her face and she squealed excitedly before throwing her arms around his neck. "Oh my God, Andy. What are you doing here?"

Andy pulled her at arm's length, a serious expression etched across his face. "I read your letter, Nina. I couldn't just let you walk away. I'm here to take you home with me."

"Andy, I-" she looked him up and down.

"Listen to me, Nina. I can make you happier than he can. At home, where you belong. All I need is a chance."

"Andy, I was-"

"I know that you love Jake. I know that you-"

Nina silenced him by pressing a finger to his mouth. "Can I get a word in?"

Andy nodded mutely.

"I was coming back to Everwood. I missed you, Andy. I didn't want to be here in L.A. It's not my home. I've never been happier than I was with you. I mean I know that we weren't together and- I just mean that you make me feel-"

This time it was Andy who silenced her by drawing her against him and softly kissing her. He heard her moan and he knew that he had won. Nina Feeney was his. Andy had a hole burning in his pocket and he fished his hand in to collect the small velvet box.

"Nina… I have something to ask you."

_**A/N: Ahhhh, that's better. I love a happy ending. I'm such a sap. Just don't spread that around, I have a reputation to uphold and I've worked hard to keep it. **_


End file.
